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Choosing Meaningful Experiences for Your Kids

February Children’s Film Festivals

Through the Woods a Snowy Morning Photo Credit: TIFF Kids™ International Film Festival

There are two really cool film festivals coming in February, the BAMKids Film Festival and the New York International Children’s Film Festival. Luckily, they don’t conflict–you can go to both. Both are intended for kids 3 and up, but BAM appears to have a few more on the younger side while the New York International has quite a few more for older kids.

Let’s look at some information and highlights for each one.

BAMKids Film Festival

February 3-4

The coolest thing about this festival is that they have free kids events in the BAMCafe from 10:30 to 3:30pm both days. These include virtual reality experiences, walkabout entertainers, interactive games, and live performances by local student dance teams MOVE(NYC) and the Fire Flame Steppers.

Most of the film choices are actually presentations of many shorts bundled based on the origin film festival: Northwest Film Forum, TIFF Kids™ International Film Festival, and The Jim Henson Foundation. In total, they have 31 countries represented through short films.

I want to see Shortstack: Puppets on Film 10 short puppet plays curated by The Jim Henson Foundation, but this one says ages 7-9. I may have to see Thrills, Spills, and Antics which is fun animal themed shorts from all over the world, good for ages 3-5.

New York International Children’s Film Festival

February 23rd – March 18th

Next Door Spy, courtesy Copenhagen Bombay Production 1

The festival receives more than 2,500 international submissions chosen through all ages voting. Eventually they narrowed it down to only about 100 short and feature films, filmmaker Q&As, retrospective programs, parties, and premieres.

This festival has six venues, but only one in Brooklyn: Alamo Draft House. I will probably go there for Shorts for Tots which features a world premire of one of the shorts–not that the kids would know the difference.

But I do think it may be worth taking the train to see some these. I am interested in Room 213, a Swedish ghost story for kids 10+.